Pages

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Celebrate This Week!

My post this week will be a list of things that I remember loving this week. It was a busy week and I don't remember being this tired in a long time. I think these weeks in October are like this for teachers--data entry deadlines, parent conferences, etc. Sometimes when weeks are busy, you forget how many joyful moments there are as they seem to pass quickly between getting things done! So much joy--just need to take a second to recognize it in the midst of business. There were many moments of joy this week. And Ruth Ayres is amazing for inviting us all to take a moment and realize these small celebrations.

My favorite part of the week was last night's What Not to Wear Marathon and Season Finale. I so love this show! I have been a fan the whole decade, I think. I don't have a bucket list, but if I did, having Stacy and Clinton to spend a few days learning from them would be top on my list it if I did. I don't watch much TV but I love this show and I'm very sad that it is over. It's the first TV show I've been sad to see end in a long time. This marathon/finale was such a great way to spend the WHOLE evening on Friday after a busy and exhausting week!

I forget how much I LOVE the first set of Parent Conferences each year. Sitting down for 20 minutes with parents and really sharing what we know about a child and how they are already growing is always such an important part of the year. Getting ready for these and the exhaustion afterwards is so worth the conversations with the people who love my students the most. There is nothing like hearing about a child from the parents and beginning a yearlong relationship at these conferences.

Last week, I went to Maine for an amazing weekend with Choice Literacy. It was a great weekend of learning and friends. And the plane ride gave me time to finally get back to my reading life that has been a bit absent lately. I loved all that I read and it feels good to have my reading life back:-)

I found quite the bargain on Amazon. My 40s have not been great in terms of my eyes. I need reading glasses more often than not. I can no longer just move the book farther away to be able to read it. But, I keep forgetting the glasses places --like meetings--and I am driving my colleagues nuts! So I found 6 pairs of reading glasses for $29 on Amazon and I have a few pairs at school (a friend is responsible for one!) So happy to have reading glasses everywhere now!

I am lucky to work in a district with amazing people. Our literacy director sent us this article this week and it was just what I needed. Teachers Don't Forget Joy is a must read for teachers.

We have been working on learning to be part of Writer Response Groups this week. The management took up a bit of mine time the first few days but Thursday I was able to walk around and really listen in. The conversations were amazing. And they were joyful. Kids were talking to each other about their writing in honest ways and there was so much joy, humor, respect, celebration. I sat back in awe and listened to these amazing kids I get to spend my days with.

I moved from 4th grade to 3rd grade and wasn't so sure I'd love 3rd. I have taught 3rd before but find myself most comfortable with 10 and 11 year olds. But I am finding myself LOVING 3rd grader and I find myself laughing often at the things they say each day. My favorite comment of the week came this morning. As kids were coming into the classroom, one of my students approached me with a letter she had written to Mary Pope Osborne, recommending that the author send Annie and Jack into some fairy tales. We chatted about the letter and I told her that in the meantime, (while Mary Pope Osborne was considering her advice) that there were some authors who had done some fun things with fairy tales. I told her that we had lots and we could meet next week during Reading Workshop time and I could share some of my favorites with her. I said, "I love when authors play with fairy tales too and I am a huge fairy tale reader." She looked at me wide-eyed, paused and said, "Wow, I did NOT see that coming!" Crack me up.

14 comments:

I'm glad that you are enjoying third grade! I love the way that you responded to the reader in your class. It also made me think of my daughter this year who started writing her own Magic Treehouse story, so maybe after your reader explores what other authors have done, she might enjoy trying to right her own Magic Treehouse story with a fairy tale spin.

What a variety of celebrations--professional development, the end of a long-term relationship with Stacey and Clinton (I could not agree with you more), and amazing work in your classroom. Your words about parent-teacher conferences are a powerful reminder of the true purpose behind them.

What a coincidence. I have been reading Colby Sharp's weekly reflections and decided to start my own Five Star Things About the Week. And now this has popped up. Great minds.... So important in the environment we work in these days to stay in the positive.

We're Both NCTE Members

We Are Proud Members of the Kidlitosphere

Kidlitosphere Central: The Society of Bloggers in Children's and Young Adult Literature --click the button to visit the website

We Are ALSO Proud Members of the Nerdy Book Club

Celebrate!

About Us

Franki and Mary Lee are both teachers, and have been for more than 20 years.

Franki is a third grade teacher. She is also the author of Beyond Leveled Books (Stenhouse), Still Learning to Read (Stenhouse), Day-to-Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop (Scholastic) and The Joy of Planning (Choice Literacy). She is also a regular contributor to Choice Literacy.

Mary Lee is a fifth grade teacher. She is also the author of Reconsidering Read-Aloud (Stenhouse) and has poems in the Poetry Friday Anthology, the Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School, and the Poetry Friday Anthology for Science (Pomelo Books).